Are Pregnant Rabbits Aggressive? Find Out Here

You may find that the pregnant rabbits are sometimes aggressive even with the owner, and this situation could be either normal or a warning. There are plenty of methods that you can use to create a safe and calm environment for these fluffy bunnies. You can also make them feel that their offspring is comfortable and safe.

Pregnant rabbits are very aggressive. You need to make them much calmer by keeping them in a safe area. Besides, it is crucial to have all the essentials which the rabbits or their offspring may need. When you know the nature of the pregnant mother, it makes a positive difference during its pregnancy.  

Here, you will find a minimum of five different methods which you can use to decrease the aggression levels in the pregnant mother rabbit. Below mandatory information is useful when you have to deal with and understand the pregnant rabbit.  

Developing A Safe And Secure Atmosphere 

In general, the rabbit has 31 days of pregnancy period, and it delivers about 12-13 offspring and 18 in rare cases. The pregnant rabbit needs to move around, so you must keep it in a spacious place like the size of an ordinary bathroom.

When you do not have that much available space, buying a deep-wired pen with flexible and adjustable functions is the next best option. Always keep the hay or food in a close and convenient place so the rabbit can avoid taking stress about food.  

Even when the pregnant rabbit has its own space or pen, it still makes a specific spot in the cage to keep its children when it gives birth. You can find small wooden nests in pet stores. These nests have a similar size to the shoebox and come with a triangle-shaped opening, making it easy for baby rabbits to come out. 

The nests with rectangular areas are the most convenient and comfortable, so you can make it using the cardboard box. When the rabbit is feeling nervous or anxious, it can shift itself to the other resting nest.     

When the pregnant rabbit pulls out its fur, it is not an indication of stress or uneasiness. The mother rabbit is making the kits feel safe by padding them softly.

For preparing a warmer nest, the mother uses its abdomen, arm, and chest fur. This nest full of mother fur is very fluffy and soft. When the babies rest on the fur nest, you can not find them easily as they are invisible in the soft fur layer.  

Even when they are inside the fur bed, the baby rabbits won’t feel suffocating as the fur nest is soft, open, lightweight, and allows air to circulate. If you want to see the kits, you can slowly set aside the fluffy fur. Always be careful around the mother rabbit, as it is very protective of its babies and aware of a possible predator.  

It is best to avoid cedar and pine bedding because they are dangerous to both mother and baby rabbits. Give rabbits soft and livable bedding that will be safe and good for them, such as recycled paper and aspen shavings. 

Maintaining A Clean And Safe Nest For Baby Rabbits 

Even when the pregnancy period is over, you have to clean the litter tray regularly as the mother rabbit likes to sit there.Cleaning the litter box every day decreases the chances of the baby and mother rabbits getting E.coli.

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As for food, you have to supply the mother rabbit with nutrient-rich food such as Timothy hay, high protein rabbit pellets, green leafy fresh vegetables. For babies, milk is the best food. 

You have to set up a tight and soft mesh padding inside their nests as the babies might break their legs due to the wide gaps. 

For better health, it is good to keep the kits in a warmer room. When you place them outside to rest, make sure that they have enough wind protection.  

Separating Father Rabbit And Other Pet Animals 

When the father rabbit is also in the same place as the mother and baby rabbits, it causes conflict. You have to monitor the mother and father rabbits when you are splitting them during pregnancy. 

Even when the babies are born, you must keep the father rabbit away. The males are very aggressive, and to show supremacy, they may eat the baby rabbits.

When the kits enter their sixth week, you can introduce the father to bunnies, but the mother rabbit will still be protective of them.  

The other pets like cats and dogs are general predators of bunnies, so you must keep them away from each other. Hence, it is good to keep the rabbits in a small bathroom-sized area where others can not enter. 

Even when you raise all the baby animals in the same side-by-side space, it is better to separate them during the gestation period. Feed all the animals with good food and when you keep the mother in a wire-fencing pen, make sure to cover it during the night. 

Behaving Around The Mother Rabbit 

You might find it natural and necessary to give constant comfort to the pregnant rabbit. But providing some alone time to the mother when it feels overwhelming is a good thing.

If you want to pat the mother rabbit, be gentle and avoid scratching the area around or under the chin and other body parts.  

When the mother’s nose isn’t wiggling much, it means the rabbit is on alert. If you want to approach the rabbit, walk at a slow and steady pace to its nest.   

Observing The Mother Rabbit’s Behavior 

Just like the ordinary rabbit, the pregnant mother also shows stress signs through particular behaviors such as moving in circles, stomping paws, and more. You do not have to worry about red and pink bowel discharge as it is typical in rabbits. 

But, when the mother rabbit releases brown or green color discharge that stinks, you have to bring it to the rabbit veterinarian. It is an indication that means that the pregnant rabbit is attempting to abort the babies. When the rabbit would not drink, eat, or isn’t ready to move from the same place, these symptoms imply stress problems or urinary infection. 

Even though you might think that this is a lot, rabbits are the animals you can pet easily, mainly when it is the pregnant rabbit.

When the babies are born, all you have to do is monitor and feed each baby with the necessary food. And you have to make sure that the mother rabbit reduces its overprotective nature of the babies around the father rabbit after six weeks of birth.  

Good luck and best wishes for you in taking care of the mother rabbit, which gives you a chance to meet a bunch of cute baby rabbits.